The Reckoning, Act I: Waking Up
by Dove Heart Siesan
Summary: The act of The Reckoning. A story of what takes place in the Half Life Universe after Gordon Freeman rejects the Gman's offer to work with him. The combine have acquired so much more power and we must look into the eyes of new characters to settle things.


The Reckoning, Act I: Waking Up

(Chapter 1: the coming around)

Gordon Freeman stood in the trolley with the Gman, as the trolley continued to pass an endless sea of stars and lights. The Gman finally looked at Gordon once they finally teleported in to it.

The Gman remarked, "You've proven yourself a decisive man, so I don't expect you'll have any trouble deciding what to do."

"If you're interested, just step into the portal, and I will take THAT, as a yes."

"Otherwise… I could offer you a battle you have no chance of… winning… rather an anticlimax after what you just survived."

The Trolley door opened up to reveal a green ball of energy, which Gordon recognized as a teleport.

The Gman simply said "Time to choose"

Gordon stood there, looking at the Gman, and really considered what he was being offered. Gordon knew that this was not something he wanted to get himself in to, but he also didn't want to perish at the hands of the Gman

The Gman remarked once again, "It's time to choose."

Gordon stood there still, as an act of defiance to the Gman. The Gman just looked back at him, and then after a few more seconds the trolley door closed.

The Gman finally said "Well it looks like we won't be working together."

Gordon was teleported now, into an area that looked like xen. He was weaponless, and surrounded by the enemies that he had been fighting for the past hours. He stood there motionless, as all the enemies where ready to finish him off.

-Many Years Later-

The ruins of a destroyed city stood in the Atlantic Ocean. Buildings had crumbled to the ground, ships have turned over, and blood was on the walls. In the windmill that sat high in the ruins, a young woman fell onto the wood floor, and awoke.

As she got up, she said "Where the hell am I? Ugh... I don't remember a damn thing"

She looked out at the ruins and said, "What the hell happened here?"

As she jumped down onto the cat walk, she thought, "What did I miss? How long have I been out?"

The girl's name was Susan Boit. She was a 17 year old girl. She was tall, and had brown, straight hair.

As she navigated the catwalks, she eventually found a dead body, lying in a dried up pool of blood. She stood there a second, and said "Oh my god…"

"What the hell happened here?" she thought.

She decided she needed to get out of these ruins, and headed for the nearest house. She decided to start looking for a boat to get out of there.

She found a computer in the house, except it was a lot different. The screen was big and blue, and the system looked strange and futuristic. As she got closer, she started feeling like something was familiar. Her vision started to blur and fade into blue. Susan was put in a state of confusion, and ran out of the house onto the catwalks lower, by the house.

As she was running down the catwalk, all that was on her mind was getting back to her family. It was then that it struck her, that she didn't remember who her parents where, or even, who she was or how she got there.

She continued around the ruins, looking at all the rubble, all the destroyed buildings, and all the remnants of people that once lived there. The ruins where eerie, and showed no signs of live at all within them.

Susan came to a church, and stood at the entrance for a second. She then proceeded to walk in, and found a sign that said, "Welcome to Proda City". She looked at the sign, and thought,

"City? This doesn't look much like a city…"

Susan walked to the end of the church, which was completely gone, and showed the sea, and under this dock-like platform, Susan saw a boat, engine and all, sitting underneath it. She stood still a moment, taking in everything she has seen, still in a really confused state.

She decided to jump down to the boat sitting in the water. The jump into the water was a long one, about a 2 story long drop. She got into the boat, and turned on the engine. The boat began to move, and she hastily aimed the boat away from the ruins.

The only thing on her mind, was finding her parents again. For some odd reason this was stuck in her brain. She was wearing a blue jump suit, and it seemed even though her name was on it, she didn't know that.

She sailed off into the foggy horizon. She didn't know what to expect by going through the fog, but she did know it was what she had to do to find answers.

-Meanwhile, in City 18-

Jason Randolf was a metrocop for City 18. He had been working with the metro police for a few years, and was sworn under the Combine, which was the organization that ruled the many cities it owned. Jason was at the main metropolice station, because he got a distress call from his superior.

The radio asked, "Jason what the hell is going on over there?"

Jason Replied "I heard some gunfire in Chief Gomwit's office" as he was looking around the lounge to the office.

The Radio replied "Check it out. Shoot any dangerous humans there"

Jason said "Right. There might be a rebel inside. I brought a revolver just in case" as he was approaching the door to Gomwit's office.

Jason approached Gomwit's door, and took out his revolver that he packed just for the situation. He put his ear to the door and heard something faint.

Jason kicked down the door, and saw a man dressed in a beanie and a vest, standing over a dead Gomwit, and holding a rifle. Jason saw this right away. The rebel turned around and saw Jason, and Jason acted fast. Jason aimed his revolver and shot at the rebel twice. The first shot missed, and the second shot hit him dead in the skull.

The Radio instantly said "There was a rebel? What's the status on Gomwit?"

Jason said "He's dead. Rebel got him, but I got the rebel."

"Roger that. The bodies will be collected shortly" the radio replied.

The Radio instantly started talking again, and said "Hello? Jason Randolf?"

Jason replied, "Who is this?"

"It's me, Elite Jasobe. Come out to Main Square we need help." It replied.

"Damn, everything's happening today, huh?" Jason remarked. Jason then said "I'm on my way" and left the office to go out to the main square, not one block away.

People where surrounded near the entrance of the main combine building, and they were protesting. None of this was out of the ordinary for Jason, because he sees this in the city a lot, because the metro police don't crack down on protests anymore like they used to.

Jason didn't know what they were protesting, but he moved through them to the elite and his metrocops standing at the other end of the small crowd.

Jasobe said "Jason you're here! We need help containing this protest."

Jason remarked "It's out of control, isn't it?"

As the people continued yelling, Jasobe said "Yeah, help us split this up."

"All right, I guess I can help" Jason said.

"Yeah, Breen's been making us crack down on this nonsense." Said Jasobe

Just then, a sniper shot rang out, and a bullet struck a civilian, and he fell in front of Jason and Jasobe. The two stood still in confusion, and then a second shot rang out. This one hit Jasobe in the chest, and he fell silently to the ground.

A cop said "Holy Shit! Jasobe!"

Jason examined the body, and said "He's dead. Sniper bullet to the heart."

The people where freaking out, and the cops where looking for the shooter. It was then that Jason saw the shooter running on the catwalks, sniper in hand.

"I see him. He's heading for J Street." Jason said.

"Nobody is going anywhere. Jason randolf, Neutralize the rebel" Said the combine intercom. The people where still in a panic, and Jason started running with assault rifle in hand, so confront the rebel.

Jason approached the street, and saw the rebel, who took aim for Jason. Jason got behind a corner and aimed back at the rebel. The rebel said, "You're not taking me alive!"

Jason fired a barrage of shots at the rebel, and after a few hits the rebel went down. The rebel hadn't died, so Jason decided to approach the rebel where he laid.

As Jason approached, the rebel said "Ok… Please… Just don't kill me!"

"No… Just take me prisoner! Don't kill me!" He begged again

"Not today, buddy" Jason remarked, as he finally finished the rebel off with a bullet into the skull. Jason knew that death would have been a better option than getting sent to one of the combines many prisons.

"Come in, he's neutralized." Jason said into the radio.

"Wow, 2 rebels in one day!" the radio replied.

The overwatch intercom came on, and told all citizens to return to their homes, and anyone caught outside will be questioned.

"I guess I deserve a promotion, huh?" Jason said, as he slowly walked back to the police station. His black boots had blood on them, and his mask was slightly chipped from one of the rebels bullets. He slowly walked back down J street, and into the Main Square.

-End of Chapter 1-


End file.
